


Shopping date

by elletromil



Series: Stockings by the fireplace [28]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Christmas Shopping, F/M, Fluff, Getting Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 22:17:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17455301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elletromil/pseuds/elletromil
Summary: After Eggsy is sent away on a mission, Merlin offers to go Christmas shopping with Roxy in his place.





	Shopping date

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Madpineapple](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madpineapple/gifts).



> Merry belated Christmas!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this little gift and that you had a great time during the holidays!

“Any plans for your downtime?” Merlin asks at the end of Roxy's debrief as they walk together for a while in the same direction. Small talk had never come to him easily, but for some reason, it has never been hard with her. Maybe because he is actually interested in everything she has to say.

“Yes unfortunately.” His expression must betray his worry, because she doesn't wait to be asked to elaborate. “Christmas shopping. I _hate_ it. Eggsy was supposed to come with, but you know better than me to what part of the Earth he's been sent to.”

He nods but doesn’t say it. Even if most details aren’t confidential, Merlin prefer never to discuss them with people who aren’t directly involved. “He should be back in a week, you could always wait for him?” He offers as an alternative but Roxy actually _shudders_ at the suggestion.

“Ugh, no. That close to Christmas the shops are going to be even crazier and then I’ll definitely explode everything.” Her grins belies the words, but he’s seen her out in the field. He’s pretty sure she’s inherited pyromaniac tendencies from Percival no matter what she says.

“Well, if you absolutely need someone to keep you in check, I have a free day tomorrow.” It’s not a lie. No matter the rumors, Merlin isn’t a robot. He’s got a life outside of Kingsman, even if it’s a rather solitary one. Though it has been less so with Eggsy and Roxy forcing him and the old Knights to socialize outside of work. “I’ve got some Christmas shopping to do myself.”

She looks at him for a few seconds, as if she doesn’t quite believe him. Why he would lie is beyond him however.

“You sure? I mean, I’ll be grumpy and annoyed and not very good company.”

“Roxy, if you don’t want me to come with you, it’s fine. I’m just offering.” He’s pretty sure she couldn’t be bad company even if she tried to anyway. Not to him anyway. He enjoys discovering all the sides and facets that makes her _her_. But if she doesn’t want to spend time with him, he’s not going to force her either.

He’s about to wish her a quick shopping experience tomorrow before entering the lab when she answers him.

“I think I’d like that. If you really don’t mind.”

“I don’t. The crowds are always easiest to manage when I’m not alone.”

Roxy nods, as if she understands exactly what he means, and smiles somewhat shyly, but definitely _pleased_. “I’ll pick you up around ten?”

“Sounds good.” He agrees before wishing her a good afternoon and stepping into the lab.

He doesn’t think to question how she knows where he lives. She’s a spy. Of course she knows.

~

Roxy rings the bell closer to a half past than she does to ten o’clock, but he forgives her immediately when she offers him a cup of coffee to go exactly how he likes it and a small paper bag containing one hazelnut _chocolatine_. She’s clearly picked up what kind of bribes work on him from all the times Harry is late for a meeting. Clever lass.

They elect to take the tube rather than try to lose precious time in the traffic and he follows her lead willingly. She seems to know exactly what she is after while he’s more the type to see something while browsing. Wherever they’ll end up, he’ll find something to his liking for the few people he wants to give presents to this year.

The crowd is already crazy even so early in December, forcing them to walk close. He doesn’t really mind and even less so when Roxy links their arms together so she can stand even closer. It’s strategic he knows. He makes for a rather intimidating figure even outside of Kingsman and people tends to try and get out of this way even if with this crowd, they can’t go that far.

Roxy can be dangerous, _is_ dangerous, but part of it comes from people underestimating her. Dismissing her.

Merlin has never made that mistake and he never will.

They go in and out of the shops quickly and sooner than he would have expected, they’re already done.

They stop for a bite at a little coffee shop Merlin knows of that is a bit out of the way. It’s well-frequented, but it’s also quieter than the big chains.

While they eat, Roxy marvels at how quickly they’ve finished their shopping. She expected to be there until the shops closed for the night, which surprises Merlin. She knew everything she wanted to get after all.

“Yeah, but with Eggsy, he would have stopped everywhere to gawk at stuff. And alone I would have been taking breaks from all the people. Having you with me kept me focused, like on missions. It was nice.” She smiles in gratitude and he feels a blush creeping on his cheeks for some reason.

“You’re welcome. It was a nice morning for me too.”

One he doesn’t want to end. But even if they were done in record time, Roxy still looks slightly frayed around the edges. She’ll probably want to head home as soon as they finish their sandwich and he cannot blame her.

But before they leave the coffee shop, she surprises him.

“Would you like to go skating? There’s that ice rink not far from my place. I figured we could drop everything there and then go have some real fun?”

It’s not an invitation he was expecting, but he nods before he can really think about it. It’s been _years_ since he’s been ice skating. Hopefully he won’t make that much of a fool of himself.

But maybe if he’s as atrocious at it as he thinks he’ll be, maybe Roxy will let him hold onto her.

~

Turns out, ice skating is a bit like riding a bike. You never really forget how to do it, even if there a bit of awkwardness at the beginning.

He would have been disappointed, since it means he has no excuse to keep close to Roxy, but before the feeling can settle in, she takes his hand and links their fingers together. Even if they stand farther away from each other than they’ve been all morning, it still somehow feels more intimate.

When he chances a glance in her direction, he spies a blush on her cheeks too. One that cannot be entirely attributed to the cold.

He dares to press her fingers gently, smiling when she returns the pressure in kind.

They don’t talk as they slowly make turns around the rink, but he’s never shared a more comfortable silence with anyone else before.

~

Roxy invites him to stay for a hot cocoa that night.

He accepts and only leaves the following morning, with the promise of a second date already.


End file.
